The computer controlled set top box is usually connected to a provider/subscriber television system. The box contains the computer resources necessary to control the television program presentation on a typical television set or personal computer. Of course, all of the computer resources needed to control the television or personal computer display may be integrated into the television set, the personal computer or mobile device, such as a cellular telephone or personal digital assistant (PDA).
Television programming provided by the service provider often run into the hundreds of television programs available from hundreds of channels for any given time period. On-screen program guides have provided reasonable organization for the hundreds of television programs being offered. As shown in FIG. 1, these programming guides have a scrollable vertical list of channels, each having a row of sequential time segments with each segment representing a television program scheduled for the time segment. Should the viewer desire more information about the television program in a particular time segment, the viewer may select or “click” on the listing for the television program and receive more information in the form of a synopsis, e.g. item 12, FIG. 1. This synopsis gives very limited information to the viewer. Often, this synopsis provides insufficient information to help the viewer decide between what may be several television program offerings that are of interest.